Electrical contact



Dec. 8,-1925- G. s; FABER I ELECTRICAL comma! I s Sheets-Sheet 1 Fi1edIQar h 28 v 1924 a. s. FABER ELECTRICAL CONTACT File March 1924 :sSheet-Sheet 2 70 ,zgfi Z mmmmmmmmmmw Dec. 8, 1925- I 1,564,840

' G. s. FABER ELECTRICAL CONTACT Filed March 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet sIWIIIIIINI 6 IglllIl- I Illllll 55 Patented 8', I 1925.

UNITED STATES I GUY S. FABER, OF CHICAGO, ILIINOIS.

ELECTRICAL conrac'r.

Application filed March 28, 1924. Serial No. 702,573.

To all whom it may] concern:

Be it known that I, GUY'S. FABER, a citizen of the United'St-ates,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a .new and useful Improvement in Electrical Contacts, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates, more particularly,

to electrical contact devices comprising a re- 10 ceptacle for aflowable mass of current-conducting material, as for example mercury,."and a contact device, or devices, adapted to co-operate with themercury, the parts of the structure being so constructed and arrangedthat the contact-device or devices,

and the mercury may be caused to be relatively moved torcontrol theelectrical contacting of the mercury with contact-devices; devices ofthis character being adaptedfor use in a wide range of situations, asfor example for temperature control, humiditying purposes,pressure-control, etc.

My primaryobject is to provide a novel, simple and economicalconstruction of contact making and breaking device of the general typeabove stated. Moreespecially, my objects are to provide a constructionwhereby, where a plurality" of contacts for engagement with the flowablemass are prorided, the several contacts may be adjusted relative to eachother; to provide, in con-,

nection with the relative adjustment just referred to, for the bodilyadjustment of the contacts relative to the flowable mass; to eliminatethe location of the contact device in the Wall of the receptacle inwhich the flowable mass is located, which is of a special advantagewherelthe receptacle is formed of glass, this being the most desirablematerial, and more especially where vacuum or a particular gas, otherthan air,.

is to be maintained in the receptacle, inasmuch as the provisions of thecontact devices in the wall of-the receptacle involves considerableexpense as these contact-devices are required to be sealed-in? the walland furthermore, especially in the use of heavy currents,,thecontact-devices become heated and under the ensuing expansion andcontraction the joints between the contact-devices and thereceptacle-wall become im paired and furthermore undesirableelectrolytic action is produced effectin undesirable corrosion of t. emetal at the joints;

I and to reduce, to the minimum, the number of openings required to besealed in the receptacle. I

Referring to the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 isa face view of acontact making and breaking device constructed in accordance with myinvention and constituting one of the embodiments thereof, with acertainportion of the construction shown. in sections, the section beingtaken at the line 1 on Fig. 3 and viewed in the direction of the arrow.Figure 2 is a section taken at the. line 2 on Flg. 3 and viewed in thedirection of the arrow with certain parts omitted. Figure 3 isanenlarged view of the device 3 in longitudinal sectional elevation, thesec 7 tions being taken at the line 3 on Fig. ,1

and viewed 'in the direction of the arrow.

Figure 4 is a broken view in side elevation of a portion of thesupporting member for the receptacle containing the mercury. Fig

ure 5 is a view in longitudinal sectional elevation of one of thecurrent-conducting sleeves forming a; portion of the supporting memberreferred to; and Figure 6, a view in the nature of a dia ram showing thecontact portions of the evice, mechanism for shiftlng the receptacle andcontact-devices, and devices controlling steam lines and in turncontrolled by the position of said contact-devices. I As a preface togthe following description of the mechanism shown, it may be stated thatI have chosen to illustrate my invention as embodied in a contact devicefor use in connection withthe controlling of the flowof fluid, as forexample steam, from two separate sources, to its point of use, as forexample for heating purposes, where it is desired to maintain atemperature within a certain' 'range, but-as will be readily under- Ystood, the invention is not limited to its use in such a connection, norto its embodiment in the particular construction shown. V A Referringfirst to the illustrated construction of contact making and breakingdevice,

it comprises a-receptacle forming portions represented at 7 forreceivmgf and confining the flowable mass, as for examplemercuryrepresented at 8. The recptacle 7 is fpreferably of the sha e shown andby pre erence, is formed of g ass, the opposite, side Walls of which are'apertured, as indicated at 9' and 10, respectively, at which portionsthe side walls are provided with outwardly-extending cylindrical bossesor flanges 11 and 12,.respectively. Thereceptacle 7 is mounted upon asupporting member 13 which extends at its opposite'e'nds through theapertures 9 and 10 .and the bosses 11 and 12.

The member 13, in the construction shown,

comprises an inner shaft 14 of current-conducting material provided atthe central portion of the receptacle 7 w th an annular flange 15 theopposite side Walls of which are'annularly grooved, as represented at16, to afford the inclined annular surfaces 17. A sleeve 18 ofinsulating material surrounds one end of the shaft 14 and is provided wth an annular flange 19, which abuts the ad]acent face of the flange15,the'sleeve 18 being' provided with an annular flange 20 which extendsinto the adjacent groovc 16 and is of substantially the samecross-section shape as this groove. The opposite face of the flange 19contains an annular groove 21 affording the inclined wall portion 22.The

' sleeve 18 is securely held in place on the shaft 14 by a nut 23 whichscrews upon the reduced, threaded, portion 24 of the shaft 14,Surrounding the sleeve 18 1s a sleeve 25 of current-conducting materialprovided with an annular flange 26 which abuts the outer face of theflange 19 and provided with an annular flange 27 which extends into, andis of substantially the same cross-,

sectional shape as, the groove 21, this sleeve being rigidly secured tothe sleeve 18 by means of a' nut 28 screwing upon the outer end ofthesleeve- 14 and against the outer end of the sleeve 25. The receptacle7 is mounted at its boss 11 directly on the sleeve 25, the outer edge ofthis boss being engaged by a nut 29 which screws upon the outer end ofthe sleeve 25, the boss 11 being surrounded sleeves 33 and 35 which areinsulating being "formed of an suitable insulating material. The inneren s of the sleeves 33 to 35' inclusive are provided with abuttingflanges 36,

37, 38 and 39, the sleeve 32 containing an' annular flange 40, asexplained of the sleeve 18, which extends intothe adjacent groove 16 ofthe shaft 14, and the sleeves 33, 34 and 35 containing annular flanges41, 42 and 43 1 which extends into registering grooves 44,45

and 46in the faces of the flanges 36, 37 and f 38, respectively,onesurface of each of theseflanges and the opposing surface of thegroove into which it extends being tapered as shown and as described ofthe flange 27 and the groove 21. The sleeve 32 is held to the shaft 14by a nut 47 screwing on'the reduced, threaded, portion 48 on the shaft.

14, and the sleeves 33, 34 and 35 are held in l nuts 23, 28, 49, 50, 51and 47, and the flanges of the sleeves 18, 25, 32, 33,34 and 35cooperating with the opposing grooves in the members adjacent thereto,permits of the holding of the several parts forming the supportingmember 14, sufliciently tightly together to effect a hermetic sealbetween these parts, preventing the entry therethrough of air into thereceptacle 7 where a vacuum 'is provided in the latter, or the escape ofgas from the receptacle, or its dilution, where the receptacle ischarged with gas other than air. I

The boss 12 surrounds the sleeve 35 and is engaged at its outer end by anut 52 screwing upon the outer end of the sleeve 35, packing 53surrounding the boss 12 and being compressed, to form a tight joint, bya gland 54 screwed upon the nut 52.

In forming the structure described, the receptacle 7 is preferablyprovided in sections, the joint between which would 'extendcross-wise ofthe axes of the receptacle and substantially equi-distant from theopposed flat walls of the latter and in such condition assembled withthe structure 13,

the jointbetween the sections of the receptacle being afterwards closed,as by fus ing together their opposed edges. Where it is desired that avacuum exist in the receptacle, or where the receptacle is to contain agas other than air, the air in the re-' ceptacle would be exhausted, inany suitable manner, as for example by providing an opening in the wallof the receptacle for communication with the vacuum-producing apparatus,and the gas-introducing apparat-us where gas is to be introduced intothe receptacle, and thereafter sealing such opening. In this connectionit maybe stated that byconstructing the apparatus as shown and describedthe various joints between its parts are rendered hermetically sealed.

"The sleet/e525, 33, and 35 and the shaft 14 form supports for contactdevices repretherotation of the member 13, the contacts .55 and 56beingspaced apart and disposed in different angular positions about the"sented at 55,56, 57 and 58'adapted to be i -moved into. and out of themercury8, in

member-- 13 and spaced relation, and in diflerent ,augular'positionsrelative, to the contacts 57 and 58 which, in the construction shownoccupy the same angular posi tion on the member 13, but-are of differentlengths. The contact 58, which surrounds the contact 57 but ismaintained out of conwith the gland 31, the wire 61 with the nut- 50 andthe wire 62 with the-gland 54, it being noted that all of theseelectrical connections are exteriorof the receptacle 7. The shaft 14, inthe t particular arrangement shown is grounded through the portions ofthe apparatus at which the supporting mem-.

- ber 13 is supported as hereinafter described.

, Fig. 6. The uppe The extremities of the shaft 14 are in the form ofjournals represented at 63 and 64 at which this shaft is mounted in adisk 65 and the front, cross, member 66, respec-' tively, of a yoke 67rigidly secured atits reaiwardly-extending arms to the plate-portion 68of a cup shaped member 69 prov1ded at its open end with an annularflange "70 at which this member bears against the support to which it isto be attached, as for example, a wall 71 of a room, the member 69 beingshown as secured thereto as through the medium of screws 72. Thecentralpor-' tion of the plate v68 is cut away to provide a circular. opening73 into the plane of which a rearwa'rdly oil-set annular flange 74 ofthe plate 68 extends. The disk 65 is located, and rotatable in theopening73 and is held against lateral displacement therein by the flange74, and segments "7 5 secured to the plate 68 to overlap the forwardface .of the'disk 65. In the preferred, illustrated,

embodiment of my invention provision is made for rockingtlie'supportin'g member 13 responsive to -changes in the temperature ofthe air surrounding the contact device. The particular mechanism shownfor this purpose comprising: a disk 76 rigidly secured to the. shaft-14to rotate therewith, this disk being provid d with aneccentrically-disposed ,pin 77 extending into a slot 78- in an end ofa.lever1791connected at its opposite end with fa'coil spring 80 tendlngto swing this le\"er" iin-- :clockwise direction in the lever 7 9contain; ll-shaped notches 81 and 82 which are ofi set-relative to eachother in the directionj-ofq'the length of the lever. The recess {81'j'co-operatesfi'with the knife-edge extremity 83bit a dev ce 84,'car-'ried by the disk 65. The-deVice QjS Q'iS of such constructionthatxiupon' temperature of the airsurround ng itlie'.appar and lowersurfaces of ratus, it expands and forces the ortion 83 downwardly, andupon the lowering of the temperature of the air the device'contracts andraises the portion 83. The particular. illustrated device '84 is of atype commonly provided for temperature regulation and involving.inter-communicating lengthwise expansible bellows-chambers 85 inwhich a highly volatile liquid, suchas ether is located. The recess 82co-operates with the upper cone-shaped extremity 86- of a fulcrumingdevice 87 shown as in the form of a screw-mounted in a lug 88 on thedisk 65 for vertical adjustment thereon, it being understood that thelever 79', in response to the expanding of the device 84 in oppositiontothe spring 80, and under the action of the spring 80 in the contractingof the de vice 84, rocks upon the fulcrum 86 and thereby rotates thedisk 76 together withthe member 13 and the parts'carried thereby in.

one direction or the other, depending upon the direction in which thepart 83 is moved,

whereby the several contact-devices are,

caused to'lbc moved into different, positions relative to the mercury8...

Referring now to the particular use to which my invention is shown asapplied, namely, to the supplying of steam, as for example, for heatingpurposes, from two di'fierent sources to maintain a'substantiallyconstant temperature: 'two steam lines are represented at 89 and 90,these lines being provided with valves 91 and 92 respectively, the stemsof which are equipped with armatures 93 and 94 respectively forco-operation with electro-niagnets. The armature 93 co operates withelectro-magnets 95 and 96 and the armature 94 with electro-magnets 97and 98, the energizing of the magnets 96 and 98 operating to move thevalves 91 and- 92 to the closed position shown in Fig. 6 wherein thesupplying of steam through the pipes 89 and is arrested, and theencrgizingof the magnets and 97 operating" to rotate the valves 91 and92 to open position' in which steam flows through. these pipes.

In he particular arrangement shown a source ofcurrent supply, shown asa, battery, is represented at 99, from one terminal of which leads awire 100 electrically connected with the shaft 14, and consequently thecontact device 56, by grounding this wire, it being noted that the shaft'14 is grounded. The other terminal of the battery 99 connectswith awire 101 which latter is connected with one of the terminals ing ofthemagnet 96, the other terminal of which connects with'a wire 104joined to the wire 60 which latter is connected with one of theterminals of the magnet 98, the other terminal of which connects, by awire 106, with the wire 101. A wire 107 connectsat one [end with thewire 101 and at its opposite end with one of the terminals of thewinding of the magnet 95, the other terminal of which connects by a wire61 and thus with the sleeve 33.

In the normal position of the part shown,

Y in the drawings. As the temperature of the air surrounding theapparatus decreases, the device 84 contracts, with the result of the ilever 79 being rocked in counterclockwise direction in Fig. 6 under theaction of the spring 80, this lever swinging on the fulthrough the pipe90 to produce the desired crum 87 and rotating the member 13 inclockwise direction in Figs. land 6. Thus rotating the member 13 causesthe contact 57'to engage the mercury. 8, whereupon the magnet 95 isenergized which causes the valve 91 to move to open position, wherebysteam flows through the line 89 to itspoint of use. If conditions aresuch that the sup plying of steam through the pipe 89 is required to beaugmented by supplying steam temperature, the member-13 will continue torotate 1n the direction stated and cause the contact 58 to engagethemercury 8 whereuponthe magnet 97 becomes energized and opens thevalve 92 and permits steam to flow through the pipe 90 to the point ofuse.

The valves 91 and 92, the latter in case conditions are such that it hasopened, remain open until 'the device 84 by reason of the heating of theatmosphere surrounding it,

expands sufliciently to "rotate the member 13 in' counterclockwisedirection in Figs, 1

and 6 to a position in which the contactdevice '55 engages themercury'8, whereupon through both pipes 89 arid 90. 1

both of the magnets.96 and 98'becomc encrgized with the result ofclosing the valves v 91 and 92 thus shutting oit' the flow of steam,

It Wlll be understood from'the-foregoing that the current for all of theseparate cone I tact-devices, is led into the receptacle 7- througlr theaxially disposed member '13,'

asdistinguished from ---leading the current into the receptacle-7-..through openings 'es-, pecially provided fo'f'this purpose. This Yfeature of 'theinvention is of special ad vantage where a vacuum, or aspecial gas, is

.to maintained inthe interior of the repointer 110.

ceptacle, and especially when the latter is of glass. Regardless of thenumber of separate contact-devices employed the onlyopenings necessaryto be provided in the walls of the receptacle 7 and which would berequired to .be hermetically sealed where vacuum, or a particular gas,is to be maintained in the receptacle,are the two openings in theopposite side walls of the receptacle and through which the member 13extends. Not

only is the cost of producing the structure.

thereby reduced, but it is rendered more durable, and less liabletoimpairment. I

- Furthermore while the structure is shown as provided with a certainnumber of contact-devices, it will be readily understood that the numberthereof, may be increased,

or decreased, as desired.

The feature of rotatably mounting the disk 65, which form a support forthe structure comprising the receptacle 7 and.

the member 13, the disk 65, being shownras provided with an arm 108which extends through open'in'gs 109 and 110 in the member 69 and in ahousing-globe 111 screwed upon. the member 69, the lower end of the arm108 being in' the form of a pointer, is of advantage inasmuch as itpermitsv of the bodily adjustment of the various contactdevices, as aunit, as distinguished from the adjustment of these contact-devicesrelative to .each other which is very desirable when the device is usedin certain situations, as for example, for temperature control, wherethe ranges of temperature to be maintained are to be varied, as desired,and to the end of facilitating the proper adjustment of the parts asstated, a scale 112 may be provided on the members 69 for co-operationwith the The arrangement of the parts of the member 13 is such thatwhile leakage into or out of the receptacle 7 is prevented, the varioussleeve-devices carrying the contacts may-be rotated independently ofeach other for the relative adjusting of the contact-devices,

either 'for the setting'of the contacts at the desired angular positionswith respect to each other, in the initial assembly of the parts, or'forsubsequently adjusting them,

the construction shown lending itself to the.

easy adjustment of the contacts relative to each other. I

WVhile I have illustrated and described a particular constructionembodying .my invention and have shown it as applied to a particularuse, I do not wish to be underdeparting from the spirit of my invention.

by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a contact-making-and-breakingdev 1ce, th e combination of arock-member, a

stood as intending to limit it-thereto, as the same may be modified andaltered withoutl What I claim as new, and desire to secure glassreceptacle having an opening therein and provided at said opening withan outwardly extending boss, a flowable mass of current-conductingmaterial in said receptacle, a rock-member extending into said boss,means hermetically sealing the joint between's'aid boss and rock-member,and a contact device on, and movable with, said rock-member into and outof engagement.

with said mass.

2. In a contact-making-and-breaking device, the'combination of arock-member, a

glass receptacle havingopenings therein at its opposite sides andprovided at said openings, vwith outwardly extending bosses, flowablemass of current-conducting material in said receptacle, a rock-memberextending into said bosses, means hermetically sealing the jointsbetween said bosses and said rock-member, and a'contact device on, andmovable with, said rock-member into and out of engagement with saidmass.

3. In a contact-making-and-breaking device, the combination of areceptacle, a flowable mass of current-conducting material in saidreceptacle, a rock-member, and contact-devices on said rock-member andmovable into and out of engagement with said mass, and adapted to beadjusted into different positions relative to each other, saidreceptacle, rock-member and contact-deing into said receptacle, certainof said vices being adjustable as'a unit to vary the position of saidcontact-devices relative to said mass.

4. In a contact-making-and-breaking device, the combination of areceptacle, a flowable mass of current-conducting material in saidreceptacle, a rock-member, currentconducting sleeves insulated from eachother and nested on said rock-member, and contact devices on saidsleeves movable into and. out of engagement with said mass. 7

5. In a contact-making-and-breaking device, the combination of arockably mounted receptacle, a flowable mass of'current-conductingmaterial in said receptacle, and a plurality of nested sleeve membersextendsleeve members being of'current-conducting material and adapted toextend into said mass, and certaln thereof of insulating ma.-

. terial, said sleeves having flanges adjacent ones of which are in:flatwisecontact.

6. In a contact-making-and-breaking device, the combination' of arockably mounted receptacle, a flowable mass of current-- conductingmaterial insaid receptacle, and

a plurality of nested sleeve members extend-- ing into said receptacle,certain of said sleeve members being of current-conducting material andadaptedtoflextend into said mass, and certain thereof insulatingmaterial, said sleeves having flanges adjacent ones ofwhich are inflatwise contact, and

.said sleeve members being of current-conducting material andcurrentinsulating material, respectively; flanges Ton adjacent endsofsaid sleeve members and opposing said flange on sa'id'rock member, andmeans forclamping said flanges flatwise together.-

8. In a contact-making-and-breaking de- .vice,.tlie combinationbfarock-member, a

receptacle supported thereon and into which said rock-member extends.' aflowable mass of current-conducting material in said receptacle, aflangeon said rock-member within said receptacle, nested-sleeve membersmounted on said rockjmeinber, said sleeve members being of;ciirrentsconducting ma terial and current-insulating material,respectively, flanges onadjace'nt ends of said sleeve members andopposing said flange on; said roclz-memberfand means exterior of sandreceptacle fOI'EG XGItZI I IgIClHmPIDg pressure for, drawingsaidflanges. into close flatwise contact. 5'.

9. In {a contact-makingeand-breaking device, the'combination ofareceptacle, a flowable mass of current-conducting material in saidreceptacle, aro'ck-member, sleeves of 'currenteconducting material andcurrent-insulating material, respectively, nested on said. rock-member,and contact-devices adapted to be moved into and, out of engagement withsaid mass, one of saidcontact devices being on said sleeve ofcurrentconducting material.

1 10. In a current-making-and-breaking device, the combination of areceptacle, a flowable mass of current-conducting material in saidreceptacle, a rock-member extending into and through said receptacle,sleeves of current-conducting material mounted on said rock-member atopposite sides of said receptacle and extending into the latter. meansinsulating said sleeves. from said rock-member, and contact devices onsaid sleeves movable into and out of engagement with said mass.

11. In a contact-making-and-breaking de vice, the combination of arockably mounted receptacle, a flowable mass of currentconductingmaterial in said receptacle, and a plurality of nested sleeve membersextending into said receptacle, certain of'said sleeve members being ofcurrent-conducting material and adapted to extend into said mass, andcertain thereof of insulatingmanested sleeves surrounding said member 10terial. 4 and of current-conductingmaterial and inv 12. In acontact-making-and-breaking desulatin mate-rial, respectively, saidsleeve vice, the combination of a. rockably mounted of insulatingmaterial being interposed be- 5 receptacle, a flowable mass ofcurrent-contween said member and said sleeve of curdncing material insaid receptacle, a mem-. rent-conducting material and said sleeve of 10her of current-conducting material extendcurrent-conducting materialbeing adapted ing into said receptacle and adapted to exto extend intosaid mass. tend into said mass, and a plurality of GUY S. FABER;

